Sports

TotalEnergies Football Tournament Is To Promote Peace Among Communities

Published

2 years ago

November 7, 2023

TotalEnergies Nigeria Limited says the decision of the NNPC/TENG Joint Venture OML58 football tournament is to promote football as a way of galvanizing cordial relationship and promoting peace and harmony in it’s host community.

The Deputy Managing Director JV Asset, Mr. Guillaume Dulout who stated this on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of the 2023 OML58 host community football tournament at Okah Memorial Secondary School Elele Okinali in Ikwerre Local Government Area expressed delight that the tournament has become the greatest annual sporting event in the OML58 area

Dulout who was represented by the Manager Capacity Development and Enterprise Mr Jacob Olege commended the communities for sustaining peace among themselves as community and the Total Energies Nigeria Limited.

He noted that Total Energies Nigeria Limited is determined to identify with football competition as a demonstration of her commitment to engage the Youths in the positive ventures that could promote sustainable socio economic development as well as empowerment.

He said through the competition, talents could be identify and nurture that could make the community proud at the State level as well as the national level competition.

According to him, ” the huge success recorded at the 18 and 19 editions of the tournament and the sustained peace in her area of operation is a delight and welcome development”.

” Total Energies Limited has retained the theme for the two previous edition, ” Playing for Peace”, for this edition to further emphasize her message of peace as well a driver of community development and prosperity”, he said

Dulout explained that the theme has continue to resonate throughout the year in all her dealing with the youth and the entire population, adding that the 19th edition, minor changes made to the rules of the tournament in order to bring beneficial improvement

On of those changes he said was the inclusion of young players (Under 20), adding that this was targeted towards the discovery of young talents who could be further developed and projected for a career in football

” Women were also included in the officiating team and girls in the ball boys. This we did to demonstrate her her commitment to the SDG 5 ( Gender Equality). These changes are sustained in this current edition”, he said he

Earlier, the Chairman of Central Organizing Committee (COC) of the tournament, Saheed Ogunsanya said this year, the committee has introduced fair play trophy for the best behave team, stating that last year, the committee made some changes by the introduction of Under age players.

Ogunsanya noted that the idea for the introduction of Under age players is for the under age players to take over from the aging players, explaining that this will opportunity for the younger players to explore their talents.

The COC Chairman expressed optimistic that this year competition will bring a level of discipline among the participating teams, noted that last year edition, more yellow cards were recorded.

According to him,” this year edition, there will be less caution on the field with the introduction of the best behave team and fair play trophy”.

He encourage the players to expose their talents and at their best as their are scots, assuring that the tournament will be taken to the next level.

18 teams from four local Government Areas of Rivers State are participating in the tournament. The 18 teams are placed in 6 groups.

By: Ike Wigodo

Sports

AllStars Club Renovates Tennis Court… Appeal to Stop Misuse

Published

5 days ago

December 12, 2025

The Tide

Port Harcourt AllStars Tennis Club, old Port Harcourt township, has renovated and commissioned its training court at Niger/Bende Street, No.5 field popularly known as Information centre, in Port Harcourt.

The court was officially declared opened by Commander Abdul Qadir Yumusa (rtd), President of Police Tennis Club, after it undergone total renovation.

Speaking at the occasion, the President of Port Harcourt AllStars Tennis Club, Engr. Ifiesimama Omineokuma, decried the intentional misused of the sports facilities which Rivers State Government built for the purpose of grassroots sports development.

According to him, the centre which accommodates two tennis courts and one volleyball court has become burial and wedding centres on weekly basis thereby obstructing sports activities.

“The Exco of the club normally renovate and maintain these facilities because most times we organise grassroots tennis programme for primary and secondary school children in the State.

“No doubt we have discovered some talents through our programmes but it is disheartened to note that most times when we come, we can’t access the tennis courts following wedding, burial programmes etc.

“Consequently, we are appealing to the appropriate authorities to regulate these activities on sporting facilities, as the club has taken the responsibility to maintain the facilities, hence we are equally using it to train”, Engr. Omineokuma said.

He advised members of the tennis club to conduct themselves very well anytime they come for training.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

New W.White Cup: GSS Elekahia Emerged Champions

Published

5 days ago

December 12, 2025

The Tide

Government Secondary School ( GSS) Elekahia has won the second edition of the New W.W. White all Secondary schools football competition in Rivers State, sponsored by Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The Elekahia boys (players) thrashed one of the highly rated teams in the competition Government Secondary School Rebisi 4-1 to emerged champions.

The final encounter which took place at Sharks Football Club Stadium, in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, was well attended by some important dignitaries in the State, including the Managing Director of NDDC Dr. Samuel Ogbuku.

Speaking at the event Dr. Ogbuku, assured that NDDC will continue to engage youths in region meaningfully and support school activities, arts and culture, including music, saying that talents discovery is not limited to only sports alone.

According to him NDDC provided this platform to showcase their talents and become valuable to themselves and society.

“I want to assure you that NDDC will always support such events, school activities, not only W.W.White cup, we are also supporting secondary schools in the region, in the area of arts culture, including music because talent is not limited to only sports”, Dr. Ugbuku said.

He advised teams that lost to go back to the drawing board, know the reasons why they lost and improve, and those that won should equally work hard to defend their trophy in next edition, saying that sports is a healthy competition, it is not for bitterness.

” For me all the teams that participated are all winners, sports is healthy competition, it is not for bitterness. We will keep on engaging youths so that we discover new talents”, he stated.

At the end of the event winners, GSS Elekahia goes home with the sum of N2.5M, while second place GSS Risbisi pocketed the sum of N1.75 , as third place Pabod model Secondary School also goes home with the sum of N1.25M as they beat Government Secondary School Azuabie 1-0.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Players Battle For Honours At PH International Polo Tourney

Published

5 days ago

December 12, 2025

The Tide

Players from within and outside Nigeria will from January 11-17, 2026 gather in Rivers State for the 2026 NPA Port Harcourt International Polo Tournament with the theme: “United By The Game.”

Among the trophies to be contested for are Rowland Cookey-Gam, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, King T.J.T Princewill, T.Y Danjuma, Armed Forces Remembrance, President and Governor cups, in addition to a special memorial cup in honour of late former president of the club, Rowland Cookey-Gam.

The President of Port Harcourt Polo Club, Prince Henry Agbodjan, at a media briefing, stated that this year’s edition seeks to deepen unity and inclusiveness.

According to him, “Like the theme of this year’s tournament said, it’s united by the game. So for us as polo club, it’s a diverse group of people. Polo in itself is played in very diverse manners, and we believe in diversity, equity, and inclusiveness as well. So for us both, male and female, no matter where you come from, we are in a united front to ensure that next year’s tournament will be a major success.

“And if you see again clearly, as part of preparations for this tournament, we have one of our own who we lost 20 years ago in a plane crash. Rowland Cookey-Gam and you can see him clearly in the part of the emblem for this year’s tournament. So, we’re going to use this tournament to eulogize him, remember him, and of course, appreciate his work for polo within the Harcourt Polo Club and polo in general around the world.”

Agbodjan noted that the club was able to achieve its goals during the last tournament, especially in the area of catching them young and taking polo to the grassroots, adding “So we commenced our Catch Get Young program and it was very well received by the public and are going to intensify the program.”

“And we hope that this whole thing will yield the right dividends in the next four to five years where we see great polo players all from Port Harcourt and the Niger Delta at large, contesting and competing against the best in the country and of course around the world as well,” he stressed.

He commended the Rivers State Government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), alongside other private and corporate sponsors for their continued support to the club over the years, whilst assuring that the flagship polo tournament in the country would continue to draw people from all walks of life.

The club president assured of adequate security before, during and after the tournament, as well as entertainment that will feature varieties of local and national artistes, among others.

Also speaking, the captain of Port Harcourt Polo Club, Dr. Ikenna Nebolisa disclosed that players from Iran, Mexico, England, Argentina, among others would be participating at the tourney, in addition to entries from Lagos, Ibadan, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Jos.